Solid flue checker work



Aug. 15, 1950 H. w. WALTERS 2,519,301

soun FLUE CHECKER WORK Filed March 17, 1949 INVENTOR. Ha ry W VVd/ffis A T TORNE Y5 Patented Aug. 15, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOLID FLUE CHECKER WORK Harry W. Walters, Eaglehurst, Pa.

Application March 17, 1949, Serial No. 81,879

3 Claims.

This invention relates to brick checker work and more particularly to checker work providing parallel flues with solid walls.

The object of the invention is to provide a checker work having parallel flues with solid walls and formed of brick that interlock and are arranged so that they are held against displacement in any lateral direction and at the same time are composed of only two kinds of brick, one-half of the brick being regular rectangular prisms. Checker work has been produced by brick of regular rectangular prismatic shape as well as by brick of a variety of special shapes. All of such checkers of which I am aware are either more diflicult and costly to manufacture and erect or are lacking in strength and stability. By this invention a simple, strong and durable construction is provided whereby the successive courses of brick alternate in direction and the ends of all brick are interlocked against lateral movement and at the same time one-half of the brick are of regular construction and the other half of a readily produced modified form. This results not only in a relatively cheap construction of checker work with interlocked brick, but also renders the brick more readily usable for other structures after being removed from the checker work than are customary interlocking brick.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown a perspective view of a number of the brick in accordance with this invention in interlocked relation, as they would be in the preferred form of checker work. It will be seen that the checker work is made up of parallel rows of brick a, each of which is identical and the two ends of which are identical. The brick a are preferably arranged with abutting ends, indicated at I, and are of regular rectangular prismatic construction, except for a rectangular re-entrant angle 2 along each vertical corner. In the form shown these re-entrant angles have a depth 3 equal to one-fourth of the transverse thickness of the brick and extend lengthwise of the brick a distance 4 equal to one-half of the thickness of the brick. When laid up it will be seen that these brick form a continuous partition with a notch composed of two of the re-entrant angles on each side of each abutting end. In forming the checker work the brick a are arranged in parallel rows and then brick b, which are of regular rectangular prismatic shape are fitted into the re-entrant angles and extend between adjacent rows of brick a. Preferably the brick b are of the same thickness as the brick a and of a length shorter than the brick a by one-half of the thickness of the brick. This results in the cross-brick b fitting into the re-entrant angles of the abutting brick and having a face extending across the flue equal in length to the length of a brick a between the re-entrant angles so that a flue is provided which is square in cross-section. When the brick are proportioned in this way the alternate courses may be placed in alternate directions, that is, in the second course brick a will be placed on top of brick b of the first course, etc. This is shown in the accompanying drawing where adjacent rows of brick a are superposed on adjacent brick b in the course below.

If desired, the relative depth of the re-entrant angles and consequent lengths of brick b might be varied somewhat but the relative proportions given are preferred.

It will be seen by this construction that onehalf of the brick are of the usual rectangular prismatic construction with no necessity for any special shaping, while the other half of the brick are of a structure easily formed and similar at both ends so as to minimize the difliculty of formation and rendering easy the proper orientation of the brick in the wall. At the same time bricks are provided which can be readily employed after being taken from one checker work either in the build up of other checker work or for use in any desired walls. It will be readily understood that the interlocking of the ends of the brick and laying them in successive courses alternating in direction is advantageous because it guards against displacement of the brick. This is especially true of the top courses of the checker work which may be subjected to raking to remove debris, which raking is liable to displace a brick end that is not anchored in position. It is also advantageous in holding the outside wall of the checker work in place while it is being constructed.

What I claim is:

1. Checkerwork consisting of superposed courses of brick forming solid parallel vertical fiues, each course comprising parallel spaced rows of brick laid lengthwise, said brick having a substantially rectangular re-entrant angle along each vertical corner, the opposed re-entrant angles of adjacent brick in a row forming a vertical notch of substantially rectangular cross section and cross brick of rectangular prismatic shape extending between adjacent rows in the same course and having their ends fitting into said notches, a pair of adjacent cross brick between a pair of adjacent rows of brick forming with a pair of the first defined brick a section of one of said fines, and the alternating courses having adjacent rows of the first defined brick superposed on adjacent cros brick between adjacent rows of brick in the course below.

2. Checkerwork consisting of superposed courses of brick forming solid parallel vertical lines, each course comprising parallel spaced rows of brick laid lengthwise, said brick having a substantially rectangular re-entrant angle along each vertical corner, the opposed reentrant angles of adjacent brick in a row forming a vertical notch of substantially rectangular cross section, each re-entrant angle being of a depth less than one-half of the transverse thickness of the brick and extending lengthwise of the brick a distance not more than one-half of the thickness of the brick, and cross brick of rectangular prismatic shape extending between adjacent rows in'the same course and having their ends fitting into said notches, the cross brick being of substantially the same thickness as the first defined brick with re-entrant angles and shorter than the first defined brick with reentrant angles by a distance substantially equaling twice the depth of the re-entrant angle, a pair of adjacent cross brick between a pair of adjacent rows of brick forming with a pair of the first defined brick a section of one of said fiues, and the alternating courses having adjacent rows of the first defined brick superposed on adjacent cross brick between adjacent rows of brick in the course below.

3. Checkerwork consisting of superposed courses of brick forming solid parallel vertical flues, each course comprising parallel spaced rows of brick laid lengthwise, said brick having a substantially rectangular re-entrant angle along each vertical corner, the opposed re-entrant angles of adjacent brick in a row forming a vertical notch of substantially rectangular cros section, each re-entrant angle being of a depth approximately one-quarter of the transverse thickness of the brick and extending lengthwise of the brick a distance substantially equal to onehalf the thickness of the brick, and cross brick of rectangular prismatic shape extending between adjacent rows in the same course and having their ends fitting into said notches, the cross brick being of substantially the same thickness as the first defined brick with re-entrant angles and shorter than the first defined brick with reentrant angles by a distance substantially equaling one-half their thickness, a pair of adjacent cross brick between a pair of adjacent rows forming with a pair of the first defined brick a section of one of said flues, and the alternating courses having adjacent rows of the first defined brick superposed on adjacent cross brick between adjacent rows of brick in the course below.

HARRY W. WALTERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 291,186 Gordon Jan. 1, 1884 429,342 Foote June 3, 1890 695,822 Moore Mar. 18, 1902 

